The polytene chromosomes and larvae of two species of black flies, Simulium gandakiense new species and S. magnacentrum new species, are described from the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal. Twenty-three chromosomal rearrangements were discovered in the two species, of which eight are shared. The species differ by four fixed inversions and by having unique sex chromosomes. Additionally, S. gandakiense has B chromosomes and S. magnacentrum has a chromocenter. Both species have a set of four fixed chromosomal inversions and accessory sclerites in the larvae, all of which are shared with members of the S. vernum species-group in the Oriental Region, suggesting a biogeographic connection between the Himalayas and the Oriental Region for the S. vernum species-group.

In soil, mites (Acari) are the most abundant and diverse arthropods. They play an important ecological role in maintaining soil health. Among acarines, mesostigmatids are the most abundant group occurring in soil. The present study was undertaken in order to explore the diversity and seasonal occurrence of mesostigmatid mites in three tea gardens maintaining different agro-practices (viz., conventional, organic and biorational) in Assam India. The survey was done over 2 years (August 2016–July 2018). Mesostigmatid mites were extracted by using the heat desiccation method in a Tullgren funnel. The study revealed the occurrence of 41 species of mesostigmatid mites belonging to 17 families and 31 genera in the three tea gardens. Populations of mesostigmatid mites exhibited a fluctuating trend being higher in monsoon (June- September), slightly declining in post monsoon period (October- November), moderate during winter (December- February), and noticeably reduced in summer (March-May). Shannon- diversity index (H′) was found to be highest in the organic tea garden (3.01), followed by biorational tea garden (2.76), and conventional tea garden (2.41).

Sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae), causes economic damage to sorghum crops, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae), in Mexico where the primary method of control is synthetic insecticides. While there are at least 30 natural enemies associated with M. sacchari, the parasitoids of these natural enemies and their effects on populations are unknown. We conducted a sampling and rearing regime of natural enemies of sugarcane aphid at unmanaged, experimental plots of sorghum in Estación Cuauhtémoc, Altamira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. We identified three wasps parasitizing aphid predators: Diplazon laetatorius Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Homalotylus eytelweinii (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and Homalotylus albitarsus Gahan (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). We also identified one hyperparasitoid, Alloxysta sp. Förster (Hymenoptera: Figitidae), which emerged from aphids parasitized by Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). We also report the frequency of parasitization.

Two species of Mesostigmata, Podocinum pacificum Berlese (Acari: Podocinidae) and Parasitus consanguineus Oudemans and Voigts (Acari: Parasitidae), are reported for the first time from Turkey as well as new habitat records for Zercon fragilis Urhan (Acari: Zerconidae). The specimens were collected in soil samples from a garlic field located at Kastamonu Province (Black Sea region), Turkey. Important diagnostic information is given for both species and taxonomic concepts are updated. We illustrate P. pacificum and P. consanguineus and provide additional morphological variation to what is known from the original descriptions. Dorsal setae J4, J5, Z3 and Z4 of P. pacificum are relatively longer in the Turkish specimens.

Two new species of Pleidae, Heteroplea ornata new species and H. asperscyta new species, are described. With the addition of these species, there are now four species in the Neotropical genus Heteroplea. All species of Heteroplea have a distinct callus on the vertex of the head, which can be used to clearly delineate species. Keys to the genera of the family Pleidae and species of Heteroplea are provided.

The known species richness of oak gallwasps in Asia has increased tremendously in the past decade. However, the vast majority of taxa have been described from the east coast of Asia, and knowledge of oak gallwasps from Central Asia is still scant. Here we use molecular and morphological characters to describe a new genus of cynipid oak gallwasp, Heocynips Fang, Nieves-Aldrey, and Melika, new genus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), and a new species Heocynips furvoaurantius Tang, Nicholls, and Stone, new species from Emeishan, Sichuan Province, China. We present diagnostic characters for the new genus, including adult morphology and DNA sequence data, and provide biological information on host plant association, gall morphology and developmental phenology for the new species.

A new species of inquiline, Lithosaphonecrus edurus Fang, Melika, and Tang, new species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) is described from Emeishan, Sichuan Province, China. Lithosaphonecrus edurus is associated with an as yet undetermined cynipid gall on Lithocarpus cleistocarpus var. cleistocarpus and var. omeiensis, L. hancei and L. megalophyllus (Fagaceae). Description, diagnosis, phenology, and host association for the new species are given. The new species is supported by morphological and molecular data.

This is the fourth in a series of four papers that treat the 56 species and one incertae sedis in the genus Cladonota Stål. The genus Cladonota contains four subgenera: Falculifera McKamey, Cladonota Stål, Lecythifera Fowler, and Lobocladisca Stål. This paper treats the nine species in the subgenus Lobocladisca, which includes C. bennetti (Kirby), C. biclavata (Westwood), C. clavaria (Fairmaire), C. livida (Buckton), C. lobulata (Stål), C. occidentalis (Strümpel), C. rigida (Stål), C. spatulata (Fairmaire), and C. vexillifera (Goding). Cladonota orientalis (Strümpel) is treated as a new junior synonym of C. biclavata (Westwood). Keys, species illustrations, and diagnoses are given for each species treated.

A new species, Lestodiplosis pinei Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), from the United States is described from males, females, pupae and larvae. Larvae are egg predators of Pineus strobi Hartig, Pineus pini Goeze and Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). This is the first North American record for P. cembrae, which was found feeding on Pinus cembra L. planted at Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts. Lestodiplosis juniperina (Felt) is redescribed as similar to L. pinei and for having once been considered to include specimens now identified as L. pinei. Lestodiplosis cerasi Felt and Lestodiplosis novangliae Felt are new synonyms of L. juniperina.

New state, Upper Peninsula, and county records of mayflies from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A., are provided. Included are the first Michigan records of eleven species of mayflies, including five from the Family Baetidae [Acentrella nadineae McCafferty, Waltz, and Webb, Anafroptilum minor (McDunnough), Labiobaetis frondalis (McDunnough), Plauditus cestus (Provonsha and McCafferty), and Procloeon rivulare (Traver)], two from Caenidae [Caenis hilaris (Say), and Caenis tardata McDunnough], two from Heptageniidae [Maccaffertium mexicanum integrum (McDunnough), Nixe inconspicua (McDunnough)], one from Isonychiidae [Isonychia sicca (Walsh)], and one from Leptohyphidae [Tricorythodes robacki (Allen)]. In addition, the first Upper Peninsula records are given for eight mayfly species with previously published records from elsewhere in Michigan.

Neuropterans are beneficial insects being generalist predators during both larval and adult stages. In Mexico, 349 neuropteran species have been recorded, but only two species are known from the state of Tlaxcala. We conducted a faunistic study and analysis of diversity of Coniopterygidae and Hemerobiidae at two sites within the municipality of Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala. We collected monthly samples for a year using Malaise traps, with some sporadic sampling with nets and light traps. We identified a total of 19 species (8 Coniopterygidae and 11 Hemerobiidae) of which 11 are new records for the state and five are new records for the country. One of the brown lacewing species collected was only recently described from the study area in the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Coniopterygids and hemerobiids showed three abundance peaks through the one-year sampling period at Los Búfalos (LB) study site, while a less defined pattern of two apparent peaks was observed at the Piedra Canteada (PC) site. Results of true alpha diversity (order 0) based on the 14 observed species model an expected six more species in LB and one more in PC, while species accumulations curves predict three to four more species at both LB and PC with an additional year of sampling. The amount of similarity between the two localities was 0.69 as they share 12 of the 19 species recorded.

Doggerella knobkerrie Quicke, new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae), from Kenya is described and illustrated photographically. The description is justified because of the remarkably developed, club-like, ovipositor sheaths, not known elsewhere in the Ichneumonoidea.

The taxonomy of the Mexican fauna of the family Belostomatidae is summarized and is fairly complete for most genera. Currently, at least 23 species and two subspecies from four genera and two subfamilies have been recorded from the country. Species richness is distributed in the subfamilies Belostomatinae: Abedus Stål (11 species and a subspecies), Belostoma Latreille (six species and a subspecies); and Lethocerinae: Benacus Stål (one species), Lethocerus Mayr (five species). A comprehensive species distribution list with new state records for the species Abedus breviceps Stål and A. stangei Menke, as well as a key to the subfamilies and genera of Belostomatidae from Mexico are provided.

A new Panamanian cicada Herrera barrocoloradoensis Sanborn, new species is described and illustrated. The new species is considered to be one of the unnamed species from Panama that was introduced by Wolda (1989) and Wolda and Ramos (1992). A key to the Panamanian species of Herrera Distant, 1905 is provided. New records for Guyalna variegata (Sanborn, 2005) and Carineta cearanaDistant, 1906 are also provided bringing the total alpha diversity to 57 described species and six unofficially described species.

A new crambid moth, Haimbachia spartina Solis and Canepuccia, new species is described from Argentina and images of the adults and their genitalia are provided. The larvae were discovered feeding on species of saltmarsh cordgrass or Spartina Schreb. (Spartinaceae). This is the first description and illustration of a Haimbachia Dyar larva. Twelve species have been described in the Western Hemisphere, but only Haimbachia maroniella Dyar and Heinrich, has been previously described from South America. The new species is compared to H. maroniella and images are provided of its type specimen, labels, and male genitalia.

We list 102 currently known Opostegidae species from the Americas, designate one new species group, and revise and provide pictorial diagnostics for the twelve Pseudopostega Kozlov species groups. Five new species are described: Neopostega dondavisi Stonis and Remeikis, new species, Pseudopostega cucullata Stonis and Vargas, new species, Pseudopostega bogotensis Vargas, new species, Pseudopostega bifida Stonis and Remeikis, new species, and Pseudopostega spinosa Stonis and Diškus, new species. We provide new distributional data and the first photographic documentation of Pseudopostega ovatula Davis and Stonis, P. monstruosa Davis and Stonis, P. sacculata (Meyrick), P. fumida Davis and Stonis, P. paraplicatella Davis and Stonis, P. apotoma Davis and Stonis, P. diskusi Davis and Stonis, P. sublobata Davis and Stonis, P. didyma Davis and Stonis, P. denticulata Davis and Stonis, P. ecuadoriana Davis and Stonis, and P. venticola (Walsingham). We briefly discuss available molecular data, history of species descriptions, and provide species numbers for countries in the Western Hemisphere.

The female of Saica erubescensChampion, 1898 is herein described for the first time, based on a specimen from “Pilaton” in Ecuador, markedly expanding the known distribution of the species at least 970 km southward from Central into South America. Characters for separating S. erubescens from its congeners are discussed, as is the presence of apical abdominal spines as a potentially useful character for identifying females within the genus.

Anastrepha otongensis, new species (Diptera: Tephritidae) reared from fruit of Passiflora putumayensis Killip (Passifloraceae) is described and illustrated. The type series was collected at San Francisco de las Pampas, Cotopaxi, Ecuador.

Polymerus americanus (Reuter) is a mirine plant bug that has been seldom collected since its original description from Texas in 1876. Additional localities in Texas are recorded, and collection data are given for three previous records from Mexico (Coahuila, Hidalgo, and Nuevo León). Records from the eastern United States, and most western records other than West Texas, are considered probable misidentifications of other mainly dark species of the genus; the record from New Mexico requires verification. Nymphs and adults were observed in ornamental plantings of autumn sage (Salvia greggii Gray; Lamiaceae) at seven locales in Trans-Pecos Texas (Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, and Presidio counties). Second through fifth instars and adults of a first generation were present in mid-April; late instars of another generation were found in late September and mid-October. The discovery of autumn sage as a host of P. americanus was facilitated by the plant's extensive use as an ornamental in the arid Southwest. The previous lack of bionomic information on the mirid is attributed mainly to the difficulty of finding native populations of autumn sage, a plant that grows in remote canyons and on mountain slopes in limited areas of West Texas and northern Mexico. Botanical information on autumn sage, including the history of its propagation, is provided.